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REPORT: Sussex benefit from Wright approach

The Sharks were bowled out for 180 inside 36 overs with Lee Daggett taking 4-31 and Wright top-scoring with 59 off 57 balls.

Despite David Sales’ 51 off 70 deliveries, the Steelbacks fell short of their meagre target as they were limited to 168 for seven, leg-spinner Will Beer claiming 2-21 from eight economical overs.

After choosing to bat first upon winning the toss, Sussex lost Ireland batsman Ed Joyce for 23 when he missed an attempted sweep off James Middlebrook and the ball went on to hit leg stump.

This broke an opening stand of 73 with Wright, and Matt Machan then faced five balls without scoring before edging Daggett to Northants wicketkeeper David Murphy.

Three deliveries later the vastly experienced Murray Goodwin, who has struggled for form this summer, followed Machan back to the pavilion when he edged Daggett to Sales at slip.

Wright went on to complete an explosive half-century off just 44 balls but Joe Gatting made only four before being bowled by Con de Lange.

Wright then perished when he launched Middlebrook to David Willey at long-on before Sharks wicketkeeper Ben Brown was trapped lbw by de Lange after plundering 20.
Beer was the next to fall, caught and bowled by de Lange, and Daggett bowled Sussex captain Michael Yardy for 39.

Daggett then pinned Amjad Khan lbw before Northants skipper Andrew Hall brought the Sharks innings to an end by having England spinner Monty Panesar caught at mid-off.

Chasing 181, the Steelbacks lost Willey for five in the third over when he was bowled by Yardy and Kyle Coetzer followed for the same score when his off stump was taken out by Wright.

Opener Stephen Peters looked well set in reaching 39 but threw his wicket away when he smashed ex-Northants man Panesar to Machan at long-off.

Sales hung around to reach 50 off 67 balls but he soon fell when he was caught leg before by Beer after missing a sweep.

Middlebrook departed from the very next ball, caught at midwicket by Joyce off Beer.

Rob White was dismissed for 29 in the penultimate over when he launched Chris Liddle high into the air and was taken by Brown before Hall hammered the same bowler to Beer at deep midwicket.